Episode 27: The history and cultural impact of Asterix the Gaul

The best selling comic series in the world is One Piece. But the second best selling, with almost 400 million copies sold, is neither British nor American. It is, in fact, the story of a small French village holding out against the Roman Empire. In this episode we’re going to look at the history, and cultural impact, of Asterix the Gaul.

The year is 50 BC. Gaul is entirely occupied by the Romans. Well, not entirely... One small village of indomitable Gauls still holds out against the invaders. And life is not easy for the Roman legionaries who garrison the fortified camps of Totorum, Aquarium, Laudanum and Compendium.

So start the adventures of Asterix, Obelix and friends. Adventures that have sold 393 million copies over 65 years of continuous publication. Adventures that have been turned into some of the earliest audiobooks, into films, games, theme parks and more.

Yet beneath that success lies a remarkable story of a French Jewish writer and an Italian immigrant writing about the history, and foibles, of the country they both called home. And of France trying to rebuild its national myth in the aftermath of German occupation, decolonization and the horrors of war.

Guest

Julie Kalman is professor of history at Monash University (in Melbourne, Australia). She is a French historian, who is interested in the history of nationalism and migration. She is currently working on a book, provisionally titled Asterix and the Making of Modern France, which will be her fifth.

Cats present

Cecilia (tail)

Useful links

Julie on Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/juliekalman.bsky.social

https://research.monash.edu/en/persons/julie-kalman/

https://auntymuriel.com/2012/12/23/asterix-in-translation-the-genius-of-anthea-bell-and-derek-hockridge/